Electric primer



- W. M. UPP.

ELECTRIC PRIMER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. m9.

1 $29,345. Patented J an. 27, 1920.

a a I 3/ I 7 O o I i INVENTOR Wm M 0,0,0

I4 TTOANE 1" A surges PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LI. UPP, OF

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ERNEST RUMSEY, OF KANSASCITY, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC PRIMERL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Jan. 27, 1920.

Application filed January 31, 1919. Serial No. 274,290.

' citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the countyof Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Primers;

and I do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings; and to theletters and figures, of reference marked gthereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to priming devices for internal combustionengines and it is particularly adapted for use in connection with motorvehicle engines.

The difilculty in starting a cold engine is well understood and variousattempts have been made to provide means to prime the engine so as toexpedite the initial tuming over under its own motive power. I haveprovided means whereb a vaporized explosive fluid may be intro uced intothe. 'cylinder at a sufficiently high temperature to insure its ignitioneven when'the engine cylinder is cold, and the inventlon contemplatesthe provision of means for insuring an accesslble supply of motive fluidwhen there is demand for 'it as well as to govern the quantity fed intothe cylinder at each suction stroke of the piston.

Other objects and advantages as wellas the novel details of constructionof the preferred form of the invention will be specifically referred tohereinafter, it being understood'that changes in form, proportion andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings,

Figure I is a diagrammatical view of a manifold, a carbureter and aprimer attached in proper relative position with re-j spect thereto.

Fig. II is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the fuelsupply chamber, and

Fig. III is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the heater.

Referring now to the drawingsb'y numerals of reference in whichcorresponding refintake port 2 connected in the usual manner With anappropriate carbureter 3 supplied from a suitable tank, for example, bygravity, through a supply pipe 4. In the supply pipe 4 I have shown aunion 5, to which is connected a pipe or conduit 6 communicating with afuel supply chamber 7 which communicates with a heater 8 through themedium of a pipe 9, the heater 8 being in communication with themanifold inlet tube through the medium of a pipe -10. The supply chamber.7 is best shown in Fig. II as comprising a cylinder having end-wallsHand 12, the wall 11 being provided with an inlet orifice 13 and the end'12 with an outlet orifice 14. The orifices are provided with conicalseats to receive the conical valves 15 and 16 on the stem 17 guided inthe spiders 18 and 19, the ,stem 17 being provided with a collar 20.against which one end of a coil spring-21 bears,the other end bearingagainst the spider l8 and since the spring 21 has an inherent expansivetendency, the valve 16 will be normally seated to close offthe-discharge from the chamher 7.

The stem 17 is provided at its upper end with a central orifice 22adapted to communicate with the chamber 23 in the spool 24 around whichthe electro-magnetic coil 25 is wound,-the coil 25 being adapted toenergize the spool and end 11 so as to attract the armature 26 on thestem 17 when the occasion should demand. The electro-magnetic coil is incircuit with a conductor 27 and is in series with a heater element 28 inthe heater 8, the heater element and its binding posts 29 beinginsulated from; the

heater casing or shell 8. The specific construction of the heater aswell as its casing is immaterial, the essential feature being that thefuel may pass from the sup ly or distributing chamber 7 to the mani old.1

Normally the valve 16 will be seated by. the action of the spring 21.and inasmuch as the fuel tank will be on a higher level than the casing7, the fuel will feed through pipe 4 so as-to flood the casing 7. Whenit is desired to prime the engine as, for example,

when the engine is cold and it is desired to start the motor vehicle,the operator will While the valve 15 will be seated.

close a switch 30 to complete the circuit 27 which may be energizedthrough any suitable source as, for example, a storage battery 31. Assoon as the circuit is closed, the coil 25 Will become energized so asto magnetize the end 11 of the casing 7. As soon as this is done, thearmature 26 will be attracted and the valve 16 lifted off its seat Assoon as the coil 25 is energized, current Will pass through the heater28to affect it thermally. WVhen the engine is first turned over, either byhand or by a self-starter, the suction stroke of the piston or pistonswill draw fuel through the port 14, up through the casing 8, past theheater 28 and into the manifold 2, as indicated in Fig. I. Since 1 theport 22 will be in open communication with the orifice 23 connected topipe 6, it is obvious that only the amount of fuel can be drawn from thechamber or casing 7 as can be admitted throughthe port 22. Therefore,the charge admitted to the cylinder will be measured by the size of theorifice 22 and as it passes through pipe 9 on its Way through chamber 8,the heater 28 will raise its temperature to the vaporizing point so thatit Will be admitted into the manifold With a sufliciently high thermalvalue to insure its ignition when it enters the cylinder. Of course, assoon'as the explosions are taking place with normal regularity, theswitch will be opened to break the circuit and the carbureter 3 willsupply the fuel.

Such a device as just described will be both eflicient and economical inconstruction, the cost of manufacture being reduced to a minimum. Forexample, an important detail of construction is the construction of thespool 24 so that one end may constitute a plug for the cylinder 7,constituting the casin of the fuel supply device, the end of t e spoolbeing conically recessed to make a valve seat. This makes a very simpleand effective supply mechanism, the construction being such that nopumps or ejectors are used, sufficient fuel being provided by thesuction stroke of. the piston.

During the priming operation, the fuel fed to the engine will bebi-passed around the carbureter but after the engine has been brought upto speed, the primer will be cut conveniently operated to enable thedriverto effect the priming withoutgetting out of the car.

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A primingdevice for internal combustion engines, comprising a fuel supply chamberhaving an ingress port and an egress port, a valve stem Within saidchamber having a central inlet orifice extending through one end, valveson the stem to alternately open and close the respective ports, a heatercasing in communication with said chamber, and means for connecting thechamber to the manifold of an engine.

2. A priming device for internal combustion engines, comprising a fuelsupply chamber having an ingress port and an egress port, a valve stemWithin said chamber haw ing a central orifice extending through one endand discharging intothe fuel supply chamber, valves rigidly connected tosaid stem, one of said valves being positioned above the discharge endof the orifice, a heater associated with the chamber, and means forconnecting the heater with the manifold of an engine.

3. A priming device for internal combustion engines, comprising a fuelsupply chamber having an ingress port and an egress port, a valve stemin the chamber, valves rigid on said stem and movable to alternatelvopen and close the respective ports, a pipe leading from the egress endof the casing a heater casing connected to the pipe, a heating elementtherein, a pipe connecting the heater to the engine manifold, anelectro-magnet closing the top of the fuel supply chamber and having avalve seat for the inlet valve, an armature on the valve stem, and meansfor simultaneously energizing the electroanagnet and the heating elementin the heater casing.

In testimony whereof I afl'ix my signature.

\VILLIAM M. UPP.

